Athens is a small town with a big personality. It is full of unforgettable individuals, restaurants and music. It’s also home to Ohio University, which makes it a town full of students — some of which are families.
The Caputo family is one of those families. Out of six children, five have pursued degrees at OU. The Caputo parents have consistently attended Parents Weekend for almost 15 years.
“I don’t know what it’s like to not have siblings here,” Kate Caputo, a fifth-year studying environmental plant biology, said.
Kate Caputo is one of six siblings who attended OU. She was preceded by siblings Sam and Jake. To her, having a family full of Bobcats is a great thing.
One of the best parts is being able to share knowledge and experience with her siblings. OU doesn’t always come up at a family get-together, but when it does, all the siblings are on the same page.
“We can talk about stuff from OU together and all talk about the same things,” she said.
Kate Caputo not only loves Athens, but also her academic life at OU, too.
“People in my program are great,” she said. “(My course load) is a lot easier now than junior year and senior year.”
Kate Caputo knew OU was for her, from not only family exposure, but also her own experiences visiting campus. There was no other option for her.
“I knew I wasn’t gonna not like it,” she said.
Spencer Caputo, a sophomore studying studio art, came to OU last year. His sisters, Kate and Dana, helped him adjust to college life.
“Having them here has definitely helped me in making friends,” he said.
Whenever he wanted to escape his dorm, Spencer Caputo could visit his sisters’ house on High Street. There, he got to socialize in a college environment and made some of his first college connections.
“They showed me how things went, and things to do in Athens,” he said.
Dana Caputo, who graduated summer of 2019, is the most recent graduate of the Caputo family.
Dana Caputo, who studied early childhood education, felt confident when she chose OU. She had faith in her siblings’ opinions.
Knowing her older brothers and sisters enjoyed OU made Dana Caputo’s choice much easier. Her family ties provided an idea of what to expect when she attended.
“It definitely makes for more of a comfy atmosphere,” she said.
Dana Caputo also loved Athens. She thought the college town made for a great place to become independent.
“I knew that OU was close enough to home where if I needed to go home I could,” she said. “But far enough that if stuff wasn’t going right I couldn’t go home and had to deal with it on my own.”
She knew that she had a safety net of siblings’ experiences, but also that Athens was where they grew into adults.
Dana and Kate Caputo are twins. Growing up they were always together, but coming to college allowed them to experience something different.
“(College) was nice because I got to meet different people on my own for the first time,” Dana said.
It was their first time experiencing individual social circles and different sets of peers.
“(Growing up) it was always with my sister, Kate and Dana, but we both got to be our own person in college,” Dana said.
Since she graduated, Dana Caputo was surprised by how many bobcats there are out in the world. After she started her new job in September, Dana Caputo encountered a couple of co-workers who went to OU, too.
“I’ve met a crazy amount of people who went here, too,” she said. “There’s a crazy amount of connection.”
